If your kids like to dress the part to celebrate our nation’s independence, they’ll love making fun and funky footwear for the Fourth of July.
Spirited Sneaks and Socks
Pick up a pair of white canvas tennies and decorate them with paint pens, craft paint, or stamps. Sew on cute patriotic buttons, or add ribbons, bows, or beads. One cute idea is to glue flat back beads around the sides of the soles and then paint designs on the canvas portions. Use grosgrain ribbon in patriotic colors in place of shoe laces.
Sew ribbon or lace in patriotic colors to the top edge of a pair of bobby socks, so it shows when the cuffs are folded over. You can also sew cute buttons around the cuffs or add bows or ribbon roses.
Festive Flip Flops
Choose red, white, or blue flip flops and choose materials in the remaining two colors for these ideas.
Try blue flip flops with red and white decorations. For girls, just glue red ribbon roses and tiny white bows, or vice versa, across the straps alternating flowers and bows. For boys, try red and white stars. You can also use flat back beads and glue them to the sandals, across the straps and around the soles. They work great on white flip flops, alternating read and blue beads, or red, blue, and clear.
For a really simple project, just glue ribbon onto the straps. The ribbon should be about the same width as the straps. Ruffled lace will also work and is available in many colors.
Ankle Accents
This one doesn’t technically qualify as footwear, but close enough. Make cute ankle bracelets for the occasion. Here are two simple methods. String your favorite beads on elastic string, randomly or in a pattern. Tie a small loop at one end. At the other end, place an extra large bead and tie a good knot. Slip the loop over the large bead to secure the bracelet. The other style can be made with a shoestring or ribbon. Only cover enough of the string with beads to cover your child’s ankle. Tie knots in the string on both sides where the beads end. Tie the loose ends of the string to secure the bracelet.